Approximately 24.2 million people tuned in to President Biden’s dismal debate performance two weeks ago, while 51.3 million people watched his press conference during the NATO Summit on Thursday. Why this matters According to Nielsen data, the majority of speech viewers (19.1 million) who tuned in live were over 55. This suggests that younger Americans who get their news from social media probably missed Biden’s complete responses to difficult policy questions and instead mostly saw viral clips of his missteps.
By the numbers: The address was carried on numerous cable and broadcast networks. A breakdown of the audience on Thursday between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. ET is shown below.
Fox News: 5.6 million
ABC: 4.9 million
CBS: 3.6 million
NBC: 3.5 million
MSNBC: 2.5 million
CNN: 2.2 million
The big picture: Biden’s address is a part of a larger plan to increase his visibility among Americans after the debate. He spoke with Lester Holt of NBC News on Thursday. • On Friday, 8.5 million viewers watched President Biden’s first post-debate interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. • On Thursday evening, two weeks following the presidential debate and six days following his interview with ABC News, all eyes will be on President Biden.
• Why it matters: As calls for Biden to withdraw as the Democratic nominee mount, the stakes are high for him. He is adamant that he will continue to compete.Thursday night is President Biden’s high-stakes solo press conference, which is anticipated to be his most significant political event since the first presidential debate two weeks prior. • Why it matters: Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen of Axios write in their most recent Behind the Curtain column that Biden’s every word and action will be examined, and every remark that is twisted will be closely examined.
